Novembers Doom is a death/doom metal band from Chicago, Illinois. They are currently signed to The End Records. Novembers Doom is one of the earliest U.S. doom/death metal bands that are still active today along with Evoken and Rigor Sardonicous.

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History

Formation and early history

Novembers Doom formed in 1989 as the death–thrash metal band Laceration. Gradually the band began to change their sound towards a heavier, slower style, at which point the name Novembers Doom was adopted as the band members felt it more suited their current direction. By 1991, the band was getting noticed in the metal underground for their dark heavy music on early demos (such as the "Scabs" demo, which was recently re-released as part of the Amid Its Hallowed Mirth remastered CD released in 2008). Exploring and expanding, the band added female backing vocals and continued its thick, eerie brand of metal. An early 7 inch record deal with Regress Records, of Italy, allowed Avantgarde Records to hear the band. This recording was heavy, combined with moods of darkness and despair. The two songs would lead to the release of the band's full length debut CD, Amid Its Hallowed Mirth on Avant Garde and Nuclear Blast in early 1995. Shortly thereafter, the band had a lineup change, which would include Jim Bresnahan of Contagion, Cianide, Kommandant fame and a new two song demo was recorded, "Her Tears Drop". A compilation track for Pavement Music soon followed. By 1996, the band found themselves having yet another major lineup overhaul, with vocalist Paul Kuhr and female vocalist Cathy Jo Hejna eventually being the only two original members left. In 1997, the newly revamped and refocused lineup of Novembers Doom released the EP For Every Leaf That Falls . The disc was well received, leading to favorable reviews and response worldwide. This led to the band signing a new deal and releasing their second full length album Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers , with Martyr Music Group. This new offering had received rave reviews and much media attention, and even received high praise in print from their peers in My Dying Bride and Moonspell.

In May of 2000, Novembers Doom entered the recording studio once again, to record the follow up to Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers . The band has recorded The Knowing with Studio One's Chris Djuricic. The CD is an extension of the previous material, only taking steps in new directions to enhance their already original sound.

In July of 2000, Novembers Doom officially became a member of Dark Symphonies. Realizing the band's potential, they constructed a deal with Martyr Music Group, to include the band on its roster, releasing The Knowing to the public.

Now, with their third full length release receiving praise, and a European licensed release of the CD through Pavement Music, Novembers Doom secured themselves more attention than before.

To Welcome the Fade

In October 2002, Novembers Doom entered the studio to begin work on their second full length of new material for Dark Symphonies. The band's fourth full length album would be entitled To Welcome the Fade , only this time they recruited the talents of the Grammy Award-winning producer, Neil Kernon. Kernon, best known for his work with acts like Hall & Oates, Kansas, Yes, Queensrÿche, Judas Priest, and more recently Nevermore and Cannibal Corpse, brought a new power and clarity to the sound of the band. This album was chosen as the Number One metal album of 2002 in Metal Maniacs magazine by one of its head editors, Novembers Doom was also a featured cover story on their January 2003 issue.

Signing with The End

In 2004, a successful tour in North America with The Gathering eventually leading to a signing with The End Records that summer. During that tour, a CD sampler was given away at each show, entitled Reflecting In Grey Dusk, which featured songs from each previous release, as well as an early demo version of the song, "In The Absence Of Grace". This song was listed on the cover as being included on the upcoming album, "Ascension". However by the time the new album was recorded, the title of the album was changed to The Pale Haunt Departure. The album was recorded in the Fall of 2004, and this time around the band enlisted the help of the very respected producer and artist Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath and Nightingale) for the mixing duties, and the mastering went to metal guitarist and producer James Murphy (Testament, Obituary and Disincarnate). The engineering duties were handled by Chris Wisco at Studio One in Racine, Wisconsin.

In March 2005, The Pale Haunt Departure was released with a tour supporting it. Novembers Doom continues to forge ahead, meshing diverse musical styles and textures in the pursuit of always creating a new and unique listening experience with each new release, while retaining their heavy sound and dark lyrics. With the incorporation of new guitarist/songwriter Vito Marchese, a more straightforward "death metal" approach was incorporated into the songwriting, while still retaining some of their previous dark doom/death sound on certain songs.

In November 2006, Novembers Doom performed their first full length overseas tour in Western Europe, touring with the bands Agalloch, Saturnus, and Thurisaz in support. Shortly thereafter, in early 2007, they released their next CD, The Novella Reservoir, which continued further down the musical path the band had embarked upon with the previous CD. This new CD garnered many favorable reviews and attention for the band. They returned to Europe later that year to record their upcoming DVD release, The Novella Vosselaar: Live In Belgium, at the Biebob Club in Vosselaar, Belgium. The DVD is scheduled for release on August 5, 2008. A live CD is also tentatively planned, with no release date set yet.

2008 has also seen the re-release of the band's first two CDs, Amid Its Hallowed Mirth and Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers , on their current label The End Records. Both CDs feature new artwork, bonus tracks, and remastered sound.

Most recently, in June–July 2008, the band returned to Europe for their third road trek, most notably performing at the Graspop Metal Meeting festival on June 28, 2008 in Belgium.

Discography

Full lengths

• Amid Its Hallowed Mirth (1995)
• Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers (1999)
• The Knowing (2000)
• To Welcome the Fade (2002)
• The Pale Haunt Departure (2005)
• The Novella Reservoir (2007)
• Into Night's Requiem Infernal (2009)

Other releases

• Her Tears Drop - demo, 1995
• For Every Leaf That Falls - EP, 1997
• Reflecting In Grey Dusk - Compilation/Promotion, 2004

"The Novella Vosselaar-Live In Belgium" - DVD, 2008

Members

Current

• Paul Kuhr (founding member) - Vocals
• Vito Marchese - Guitar
• Sasha Horn - Drums
• Lawrence Roberts - Guitar
• Chris Djuricic - Bass

Former

• Mary Bielich - Bass (Penance, Behind Enemy Lines, ex-Em Sinfonia, ex-Mythic, ex-Derkéta, ex-Slag-9)
• Eric Burnley - Guitar
• Jim Dobleski - Drums (ex-Laceration (US))
• Cathy Jo Hejna - Vocals
• Joe Hernandez - Drums
• Ron Holzner - Bass (Debris Inc., ex-Place of Skulls, ex-Trouble (US), ex-Wet Animal)
• Abbas Jaffary - Drums
• Mike Legros - Bass (Disinter (US), Jungle Rot, Nachtmystium, Hells Corpse, The Narthex, Earthen, Metallian, Eyegouger)
• Eric Kikke - (session) Guitar (Avernus)
• Steve Nicholson - Guitar, Bass (These Are They, ex-Laceration (US))
• Joe Nunez - Drums (Neuro Toxin)
• Brian Whited - Bass (Avernus, ex-Dead Serenade, ex-Eve of Mourning)
• David Sweeny - Guitar, Bass